Report: Foreign students in UK risk deportation over poor grades

Foreign students in the United Kingdom face a risk of deportation if their grades are too low, The Telegraph (UK) quoted a top government adviser as saying.

According to the report, the development comes as James Cleverly, Home Secretary, has asked the migration advisory committee (MAC) to review the graduate visa.

 “There’s no requirement to get particular grades in your university course or anything like that,” Brian Bell, MAC chairperson, said.

“That’s the question we want to review in the graduate route to think about whether that’s sensible or whether you should have a rule that says you have to achieve a certain grade or a certain kind of achievement in your course.”

Bell said his committee would also investigate whether there should be further restrictions which would only allow foreign students to stay in the UK if they went to certain universities or completed specified courses. 

It could also be limited to certain types of job or activities.

The review is part of the UK’s five-point plan to reduce net migration by 300,000 from its record-high levels.

More than 98,000 students were granted the two-year visas to remain in the UK after their graduation in the year to June 2023, an increase of 42,000 or 74 per cent in just a year.

In May, the UK government announced a package of measures to cut the number of student visas being issued, including removing the right for international students to bring dependants unless they are on postgraduate research courses and removing the ability for international students to switch onto work routes before their studies are completed.

This will come into force for courses starting in January 2024.